If there were any residual doubt left that the first-quarter earnings season would be a great one for dividend investors, this week’s plethora of payout performers should erase any of those concerns. Companies in the technology, oil, energy, consumer staples and even high-end retail sector had strong dividend showings this week, proving that the return of profits to shareholders continues to thrive.

The nation’s largest propane marketer, AmeriGas Partners, LP (NYSE:APU), opened up its fiscal valves and increased its distribution 5% to 80 cents per unit. The new distribution is payable May 18 to unitholders of record May 10. The new dividend yield, based on the April 23 closing price of $38.81 (the day the dividend was announced), is 8.25%.

Broker dealer Ameriprise Financial (NYSE:AMP) boosted its quarterly payout 25% to 35 cents per share. The new dividend yield, based on the April 23 closing price of $52.84, is 2.65%. The dividend increase was the third for the company since February 2011.

Holding company and industry services firm BOK Financial (NASDAQ:BOKF) raised its quarterly payout 15.2% to 38 cents per share. The new dividend is payable May 29 to shareholders of record as of May 15. The new dividend yield, based on the April 25 closing price of $56.36, is 2.70%.

Technology and specialty materials firm Celanese (NYSE:CE) mixed up a 25% increase in its quarterly payout, boosting its dividend to 7.5 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid beginning in August. The new dividend yield, based on the April 23 closing price of $47.12, is 0.64%.

Oil giant Chevron (NYSE:CVX) dug deep into its fiscal wells and unearthed an 11.1% increase in its quarterly dividend to 90 cents per share. The new dividend will start being paid in June. The new dividend yield, based on the April 25 closing price of $103.85, is 3.47%. The company also announced it purchased $1.25 billion of its common stock in the first quarter 2012 under its share repurchase program.

Luxury accessories and handbag retailer Coach (NYSE:COH) dressed up shareholders with a 33% increase in its quarterly payout to 40 cents per share. The new dividend will start being paid in July. The new dividend yield, based on the April 24 closing price of $71.87, is 1.67%.

Financial holding company Cullen/Frost Bankers (NYSE:CFR) added two pennies per share to its quarterly payout. The new dividend of 48 cents per share is a 4.3% increase in the company’s payout. The new dividend is payable June 15 to shareholders of record as of June 1. The new dividend yield, based on the April 26 closing price of $58.54, is 3.28%.

Chemical and industrial products behemoth DuPont (NYSE:DD) raised its quarterly payout 5% to 43 cents per share. The new payout will be delivered on June 12 to shareholders of record as of May 15. The new dividend yield, based on the April 25 closing price of $53.80, is 3.2%. The latest dividend is the company’s 431st consecutive quarterly dividend payment.

Natural gas transportation firm El Paso Pipeline Partners, LP (NYSE:EPB) turned up the heat on its quarterly distribution by 11% to 51 cents per unit. The new distribution will be paid May 15 unitholders of record as of May 1. The new dividend yield, based on the April 20 closing price of $33.75, is 6.04%.

Oil behemoth Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) delivered a 21.2% boost in its quarterly dividend payment to 57 cents per share. The new payout will be made on June 11 to shareholders of record as of May 14. The new dividend yield, based on the April 25 closing price of $86.85, is 2.63%. The company has increased its annual dividend every year for the past 30 years.

Computing stalwart International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) reprogrammed its dividend with a 13% increase to 85 cents per share. The new payout will be coded on June 9 to shareholders of record as of May 10. The new dividend yield, based on the April 24 closing price of $200, is 1.7%. This is the 17th straight year that IBM has increased its quarterly dividend, and the ninth year in a row of double-digit-percent increases.

Consumer products icon Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) put a Band-Aid on its quarterly payout, increasing its dividend 7% to 61 cents per share. The new payout will be made on June 12 to shareholders of record as of May 29. The new dividend yield, based on the April 26 closing price of $64.75, is 3.77%.

Printing and document machine maker Lexmark (NYSE:LXK) increased the resolution on its dividend by 4% to 30 cents per share. The new dividend is payable June 15 to shareholders of record as of June 1. The new dividend yield, based on the April 26 closing price of $30.17, is 3.98%.

Oil and natural gas partnership Linn Energy (NASDAQ:LINE) turned up its distribution dial by 5% to 72.5 cents per unit. The new distribution will be paid on May 15 to unitholders of record as of May 8. The new dividend yield, based on the April 26 closing price of $39.46, is 7.35%.

Petroleum products distributor Magellan Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:MMP) delivered a 3% increase in its quarterly payout to 84 cents per share. The new dividend is payable May 15 to shareholders of record as of May 8. The new dividend yield, based on the April 24 closing price of $70.53, is 4.76%.

Canadian-based methanol supplier Methanex (NASDAQ:MEOH) turned up the gas on its dividend by 9% to 18.5 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid on June 30 to shareholders of record as of June 16. The new dividend yield, based on the April 26 closing price of $34.07, is 2.17%.

Electronics component company Molex (NASDAQ:MOLX) increased the polarity on its quarterly payout by 10% to 22 cents per share. The new dividend is payable July 25 to shareholders of record as of June 29. The new dividend yield, based on the April 25 closing price of $26.86, is 3.28%.

Oilfield services firm Oceaneering International (NYSE:OII) serviced shareholders with a 20% increase in its quarterly payout to 20 cents per share. The new dividend is payable June 20 to shareholders of record as of June 1. The new dividend yield, based on the April 26 closing price of $50.68, is 1.42%.

Truck manufacturer Paccar Inc. (NASDAQ:PCAR), maker of the Kenworth and Peterbilt brands, trucked in a bigger dividend to shareholders. The new payment of 20 cents per share represents an 11.1% bigger payload to investors. The new dividend will be delivered June 5 to shareholders of record as of May 18. The new dividend yield, based on the April 25 closing price of $42.58, is 1.88%.

Motion control and technology systems maker Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH) loosened the fiscal controls on its dividend, boosting its payout 5% to 41 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid June 1 to shareholders of record as of May 10. The new dividend yield, based on the April 24 closing price of $87.96, is 1.86%.

Refined petroleum transport products firm Sunoco Logistics Partners, LP (NYSE:SXL) refined its quarterly payout to 42.75 cents per share. The new distribution represents a 1.8% increase in the company’s quarterly payout. The increased distribution will be paid May 15 to unitholders of record as of May 9. The new dividend yield, based on the April 25 closing price of $39.04, is 4.38%.

Energy company UGI Corp. (NYSE:UGI) raised its quarterly dividend 4% to 27 cents per share. The new dividend is payable July 1 to shareholders of record as of June 15. The new dividend yield, based on the April 24 closing price of $26.67, is 4.05%.

Light pole maker Valmont Industries (NYSE:VMI) illuminated shareholders with a bright new 25% increase in its quarterly dividend to 22.5 cents per share. The new payout will be made on July 16 to shareholders of record as of June 29. The new dividend yield, based on the April 24 closing price of $122.81, is 0.73%.

Diversified natural gas MLP Williams Partners, LP (NYSE:WPZ) raised its quarterly payout to 8.4% to 77.75 cents per unit. The new distribution is payable on May 11 to unitholders of record as of May 4. The new dividend yield, based on the April 23 closing price of $54.59, is 5.7%.

Maintenance and repair supplies distributor W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) outfitted shareholders with a 21% increase in its payout to 80 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid June 1 to shareholders of record May 14. The new dividend yield, based on the April 26 closing price of $209.46, is 1.53%.

As of this writing, Jim Woods did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned stocks. For more payout winners, see previous weeks’ lists of Companies Increasing Dividends.